At Flushing Bay, cleaning the shoreline & playing ‘Trash Bingo’
September 17, 2019
Rebecca Pryor
Scouts join Riverkeeper & Guardians of Flushing Bay in a cleanup, and we all win. Who else wants to play?
Little volunteers were a big help Sunday as we cleaned up the trash that regularly washes up along the Flushing Bay shoreline. And we had fun doing it, by introducing Flushing Bay Trash Bingo.
Brownie Troop 4090 from PS 175Q in Rego Park, Queens teamed up with Riverkeeper and Guardians of Flushing Bay in our latest cleanup along the Promenade.
We’re lucky to have help from all kinds of groups here, from DHL and Formula E to the Morgan Stanley Dragon Boat Team to the community members who come out for Jennifer’s Annual Flushing Bay Shoreline Cleanup.
Litter returns here as regularly as the tides. But each cleanup has an impact. By the end of the day Sunday, the Scouts filled six 30-gallon bags with trash. We also took time to look at oysters, crabs, shrimp, and snails that make their home in the bay.
Trash Bingo had the volunteers hunting for plastic bags, beverage bottles, Styrofoam containers and other items on the card.
By getting this garbage out of the water, and inspiring grownups to do the same, we all win. Even the oysters.
Wanna play? We hope other Scout Troops and school teachers will use this game too. Download your own Trash Bingo card here and take it to your local shoreline!
Thank you to the folks at Bronx River Alliance for originally introducing us to this fun way to pick up trash!
Check out the most common types of trash found at Flushing Bay (shown in dark green) and other locations during our annual Riverkeeper Sweep on shorelines throughout NYC and the Hudson Valley:
Learn more about Riverkeeper’s campaign for a Trash Free Hudson.
Related campaigns
Riverkeeper Sweep campaign
Cleaning up shorelines along the Hudson River and its tributaries
Protecting and restoring habitats
The Hudson River watershed is home to a breathtaking diversity of life. Protecting and restoring our aquatic habitats is critical for their renewal and for a healthy future for all life in the watershed
Water quality monitoring
Riverkeeper is the go-to source for information about the quality of the water along the Hudson River and its tributaries